Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-07-30
CHAPTER NXVI.
FRANK MULLER'S FAMILIAR.

CHAPTER NXVI.
MULLEH'S FAMILIAR.
The study Of tho conflicting dement's that
go to make upu character like Frank Mullcr's,
however fascinating it might prove, is not one
that can he attempted in detail here. Such Il
character in its developed form is fortunately
practically impossible i'll Il highly civilized
country. The dead weight of tho law would
crush it back to the level of tho human mass
around it. But those who havc lived in the
wild places of the earth will be acquainted
with its prototypes, moro especially i'll those
places where Il handful of IL superior race rules
over tho dense thousands of an inferior. Soil
tudes are favorable to the production of
strongly marked individualitics. The COM
panionship of highly developed men, OH the
contrary, whittles Municipalities away, tho
difference between their growth being the
difference between tho growth of Il tree Oh a
| plain and a trec in tho forest. On tho plain
the tree takes the innate bent of its nature.
1t springs in majesty toward the skies; it
spreads itself around or it slants along the
earth just us nature intended that it should,
and in accordance with tho power Of tho
providential breath that bends. it. In tho
forest it is different. There tho tree grows
toward the light wherever tho light may bc.
Forced to modify its natural habit in obedi-
encc to tho pressure Of circumstances over
which it has no control, it takes such form
and height US its %neighbors will allow to it,
all its energies being directed to tho prcscrva-
ton of life, i'll any shape and ut any sacrifice.
Thus it is with us all. Left to ourselves, or
surrounded only by the scrub of humanity.
we become outwardly that which the spirit
within would fashion us to, but placed among
our fellows, shacklcd by custom, restrained
by law, pruncd and bent by the force of pub
lie opinion, we grow Us like one to another us
the fruit bushes on a garden wall. Tho sharp
angles of our characters are fretted away bv
tho friction of tho crowd, and we become
round and polished, and specifically, at any
rate, identical. We no longer resemble n
solitary bowldcr on a plain, but are as a stona
built into the great ediice Of civilized society.
The place Of a man like Frank Muller is ut
tho junction of tho waters of civilization and
barbarisln. Too civilized to possess those
savage virtues which, such us they are, repre-
sent the qnantum Of innate good nature las
thought fit to allow In tho mixture man, and
too barbarous to be subject to tho tendercr
restraints of cultivated society, he is at once
strong in the strength Of both and weak in
their weaknesses. Animated by the spirit OF
bnrbarism, superstition and almost entirely
destitute of the spirit of civilization, mercy,
hc stands OH tho edge of both and an atlront
to both, us terrific a moral spectacle us the
world can afford.
Had he been a little moro civilized, with
his power of evil trained by education and
cynical reflection to defy tho attacks of those
spasms of unrcasoning spiritual terror and
understandable passion that have their natural
dwelling place in tho raw, strong mind of
uncultivated man, Frank Muller might have
broken upon tho world as a Napoleon. Had
he been n little more savage, a little further
removed from tho unconscious but present
influence of u progressive race, ho might have
ground his fellows down and ruthlessly
destroyed them in tho madness Of his rage
and lust, like an Attiln or n T'Chnka. As it
was, he was buffcted between two forces no
did not realize, oven when they swayed him,
and thus at every step in his path toward II
supremacy Of evil I'M unseen power made
stumbling blocks of weaknesses which, if that
path had been laid along a little higher or a
little lower level in the scale Of circumstance,
would themselves have been deadly weapons
of ovclmastering force.
See him, rs with his dark heart filled up
with fears, ho thundcrs along from the scene
Of midnight death and murder his brain had
not feared to plan and his hand to execute.
Onward his black horse strides, companioncd
by the storm, like Il dark thought travelling
on the wings of Night. He does not believe
in any God, and yet the terrible fears that
spring up in his soul, born fungus like from
u dow Of blood, takc shape md form, and
seem to cry aloud, ave are tho messengers of
tho uvenging God" He chances up. High
Oh tho black bosom Of tho storm tho finger
Of the lightning is writing that awful name,
md again and again tho voice of tho thunder
reads it out aloud in spirit shaking accents.
He shuts his dazed eyes, and even the falling
rhythm Of his horses hoofs beat out "Thcrc is
u God! there is q Gol!" from the silent earth
OH which they strike.
And so on through tho tempest and the
night, flying from that which no man can
leave behind.
1t was near midnight when Frank Muller
drew rein ata wrctchcd mud hut perched by
itself on the banks Of tho Vaal, and fankel
on its rear by an equally miserable shed. The
| place was as silent as the grave; not even q
dog barkcd.
"If that beast Of u Knfir is not here" he
said aloud, II will have him flogged to death.
Hendrix! Hendrix"
/ A. AZ oAAS q - IVoO uy AO IN5 tCII
feet, causing the weary horse to start back so
violently that lie almost threw his rider to the
ground.
"What in the name Of tho devil are youz"
\ almost shrickcd Frank Muller, whose nerves,
indeed, were in no condition to stand fresh
| shocks.
alt is me, baas," said the form, at the same
time throwing off a gray blanket in which it
was envcloped, and revealing the villainous
countenance of the one eyed witch doctor who
had taken the letter to Bessie, and who had
for years been Mullers body servant, and fol-
lowed him about like a dog.
Course you, you dog! What do you mean
by hiding up like that! 1t is one of your in
fernal tricks; be careful"-tapping his pistol
case-"or 1 shall one day put an end to you
and your witchcraft together"
II am very sorry, baas," said the man. in u
whine, "but half an hour ago l heard you
coming. | don't know what il the matter
with the air tonight, but it sounded Us
though twenty people were galloping after
you. l could hear them all quite clear; first
the big black horse, and then all those who
came after, just as though they were hunting
you; and SO 1 came out and lay down to lis
ten, and it was not till you were quite close
that one by one the others stopped. Perhaps
it was the devils who galloped."
Course you, stop that wizards talk" said
Muller. his teeth chattering with fear and
agitation. take the horse and clean and
feed him well; he has galloped far, and we
start at dawn. Stop! tell me, where are the
lights and the brandy! II you have drunk
the brandy l will fog YOU"
"They are OH the shelf on the left US you
20 in, baas, and there is flesh there. too. and